KICK-OFF CONFERENCEfor the

IPA CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION PROGRAMME

ROMANIA-SERBIA

8th of May

Timişoara

Eligible area

• 3 counties from România (Timiş, Caraş-Severin, Mehedinţi)

• 5 districts from Serbia (Severno-Banatski; Srednje- Banatski; Juzno-Banatski; Branicevski; Borski)

Programme’s budget 2007-2009:

Total budget

of which:

IPA National co-financing

23,010,661 euro 19,559,062 Euro 3,451,599 EuroPriority axis 1:

Economic and Social Development

50%

Priority axis 2:Environment and

Emergency Preparedness

26%

Priority axis 3:Promoting “people to

people” exchanges14%

Priority axis 4: Technical Assistance 10%

Key features of the eligible area

• The Danube as a defining and common feature of the eligible area should not be seen as a dividing factor but rather as the key element and resource of the border eligible area. Any economic development or environmental issues such as flooding and pollution, linked to the Danube clearly require joint action;

• Strategic location near three major TEN corridors (Existing international connections that could be exploited);

• Major natural resources for tourism development: national and natural parks, thermal springs, protected natural areas of outstanding natural beauty.

The Strategic Goal of the Romania-Serbia Cross-Border Programme is to achieve on the basis of joint cross-border projects and common actions by Romanian and Serbian stakeholders a more balanced and sustainable socio-economic development of the Romanian-Serbian border area.

Specific objectives:

• Increase in the overall competitiveness of the economy in the border area;

• Improvement of the quality of life for the communities of the area.

Priority Axis 1 : Economic and Social Development

 

• Support for local/regional economic and social infrastructure;

• Develop the tourism sector, including the strengthening of the regional identity of the border region as a tourist destination;

• Promote SME development;

• Support increased levels of R&D and innovation in the border region.

11.5 mil euro (IPA +national co-financing)

Priority Axis 2

Environment and Emergency Preparedness

• Improve systems and approaches to address cross-border environmental challenges, protection and management;

• Develop and implement effective strategies for waste and waste water management;

• More effective systems and approaches to emergency preparedness.

6 mil. Euro (IPA +national co-financing)

Priority Axis 3Promoting “people to people” exchanges

• Support the development of civil society and local communities;

• Improve local governance in relation to the provision of local services to communities in the border areas;

• Increase educational, cultural and sporting exchange;

• Enhance social and cultural integration of border areas.

3.2 mil. Euro (IPA +national co-financing)

Priority Axis 4Technical Assistance

2.3 mil. Euro (IPA +national co-financing)

Measures:

• Support for the implementation, overall management and evaluation of the Programme;

• Support for the publicity and information activities of the Programme;

Eligible beneficiaries

In order to be eligible for a grant, applicants must fulfill the following criteria:

Be non-profit making bodies/organizations, legally established according to national legislation of Romania/Serbia;

Be non-governmental organizations (associations and foundations), public sector operators, local/regional authorities;

Be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action together with their partners, not acting as an intermediary;

Fulfill all eligibility criteria described in the Applicant Guide.

Project partnership

At least one partner from each participating state in the programme;

All Partners are responsible for their own expenditures and activities, including the reimbursement in case of irregularities in the expenditure which it has declared;

Project beneficiaries shall appoint a Lead Beneficiary among themselves.

Lead Beneficiary

• shall lay down the arrangements for its relations with the other beneficiaries participating in the operation. This agreement shall comprise provisions guaranteeing the sound financial management of the funds, including the arrangements for recovering amounts unduly paid;

• shall be responsible for transferring the Community contribution to the other beneficiaries;

• it shall ensure that the expenditure presented by the other beneficiaries has been paid for the purpose of the project and corresponds to the activities agreed;

• it shall verify that the expenditure presented by the final beneficiaries participating in the operation has been validated by the controllers

Type of projects

• The Programme shall finance both soft projects and small scale investment projects;

• All projects should have a clear cross-border effect/ impact;

• Projects should be in line with the Priority Axes, measures and indicative operations under each measure and must prove a clear added value.

COOPERCOOPERATIONATIONat project levelat project level

Projects must meetProjects must meet at least one at least one of the followingof the following cooperation criteriacooperation criteria::

11 Joint developmentJoint development – involvement of all partners from the initial phase of the project and choosing the Lead beneficiary, which will coordinate the activities.

22 Joint implementationJoint implementation – all partners must contribute to achieving the project objectives; necessity of clear connection between activities and permanent contacts between partners.

33 Joint staffingJoint staffing – avoiding the duplication of functions.

44 Joint financingJoint financing – a single account for the project; balanced allocation between partners, according to the planned activities.

Comprising of representatives of both partner countries

Joint Monitoring CommitteeComprising representatives of both partner countries

Joint Technical SecretariatWithin the Regional Office for Crossborder

Cooperation in Timişoara

Audit Authoritywithin the Court of Accounts

Serbian National AuthorityMinistry of Finance

Managing AuthorityMinistry of Development, Public Works and

Housing

Certifying AuthorityMinistry of Economy and Finance

Antenna of the JTSWithin the Local Cross-Border

Cooperation Office in Vršac

Group of AuditorsRepresentatives from both partner states

First Level Control

Unit

First Level Control

Unit

Milestones–The Programme has been approved by the European Commission on

……………………….….……………………………………. 27th of March

2008

–First meeting of the Joint Monitoring Committee ……. Second half of 2008

- Estimated first call for proposals ……………. Second half of 2008

–Info days ………………………………………..between launching the

Applicant’s Guide and submission of project proposals

–Help desk ………………………………………………… Permanent

–Info events for potential beneficiaries (2 events /county, district)………… .

………………………………………………………Second half of 2008

–Seminars for Lead beneficiaries …………. After contracting phase

Contact details

Managing Authority - Ministry of Development, Public Works and

Housing12 Libertăţii Blvd., Bucharest, sector 5,

ROMANIATel.: +40.372.111.366Fax: +40.372.111.456

E-mail: romania-serbia@mdlpl.rowww.romania-serbia.net

www.mdlpl.ro

National Authority - Ministry of Finance

Sector for Programming and Management of EU funds and

Development AssistanceKneza Milosa 20, BelgradTel.: +381.11.36.11.360 Fax: +381.11.36.12.203

REPUBLIC OF SERBIAE-mail: cbc@mfin.sr.gov.yu

www.mfin.sr.gov.yu Joint Technical Secretariat -

Regional Cross-border Cooperation Office

5 Proclamaţia de la Timişoara Street, 300054, Timişoara, Timiş county

ROMANIATel.: +40.356.426.360Fax: +40.356.426.361

E-mail: cristina.imbri@brct-timisoara.ro

Antenna of the Joint Technical Secretariat

Centar Millennium, Poslovna Kula, III Floor

17 Omladinski Trg St., VršacREPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Tel.: +381.13.800.115Fax: +381.13.800.113

E-mail: marcel.bajka@mfin.sr.gov.yu www.evropa.sr.gov.yu